All Categories - Caring Hearts Mexico

Interview with Rosa Gonzalez (Rosa)

8/19/2019

Question: What does Caring Hearts Ministry mean for you?

Hello, my name is Rosa Gonzalez – known as Rosita, I grew up in Mexico in an orphanage in San Luis, sponsored by Caring Hearts at the time. So I was always blessed by the fact the ministry was a part of my life and made it possible for me to be here right now. As a child, I am aware that the ministry was a huge part in helping to find and fund resources to be able to meet our basic needs as children and at the time they also were engaging in Pittsburgh mainly. Back in the day, they would bring missionaries from Pittsburgh before it even grew to what it is now in the present day. A lot of these missionaries Caring Hearts would bring, they were the light of growing up in an orphanage. I always say that and I will say it, again and again, my favorite part about anything to do with growing up in an orphanage, which there wasn’t a lot but if there was anything I could consider the best thing about it it was definitely the missionaries in Caring Hearts because they made it possible for me to be here, they made it possible for me to believe that there was hope that there were good people that wanted to support you, to love you and to encourage you, just because they love god. That is what love is all about. As a child, these missionaries would come and they were young, I mean 16 or 17-year-old kids and they would come. I am sure they were saving their money during the summer to be able to come on these trips and it meant the world for us as kids in the orphanage because there were many times when we would spend an entire year, 12 months, it was only during the summer we would have missionaries come in constantly, for maybe a 3 month span, in the summer and those, were the worse times in Mexico because you know the heat is crazy but you would still have these missionaries come and spend time with us. It was the only time we had as children to be able to be cuddled, to be able to be loved, to be able to be taught about the bible, you know with the VBS classes. I think that’s one of the reasons I am where I am right now, believing in God and what he has done in my life. It was definitely not me, definitely not any other resources out there. It was just the fact that people were caring and loving. That’s what Caring Hearts is to me.

TRIP INSIDER: Grace Mexico Mission to San Luis, Mexico January 11-20, 2019 By Donna Overdorff

7/15/2019

Grace’s Team: 8 IUP students, 9 adults, and one 12 year old boy
Our team was greeted by Alberto and Luis, Caring Heart Ministry
staff members on Friday evening. They provided a power point
orientation describing the Caring Hearts Mexican Ministry.
Saturday, January 12 the Grace team visited their first work site,
organized 17, 40+ lb suitcases filled with tote backpacks, hats, socks,
soaps, clothing, and shoes. At 4:45 pm the team went with Alberto
to the Village Ministry mission to provide worship, praise Jesus
through songs and bless the people with Beans, Bibles, and treats.
The team attended the Sunday 10 am service at the church Pastor
Francisco preaches. The team gathered materials, prepared the area,
and made plans for their first work project; a roof for a local house in
the afternoon.

Monday-Friday, 2-3 team members walked to the Soup Kitchen to
make a warm breakfast for the local children. The remaining team
members participated in their daily 8-8:30 devotions. After collecting
all the needed tools & materials from the Oasis workshop the team
walked to their project. The project moved along quickly, God blessed
us with a great team! The men finished the roof up in the afternoon
while the girls visited 3 shut-in families and the Women’s Rehab
Center.

Our team visited Shut-ins throughout the week: a family of 11 children
living on their own; a bedridden widow; a very ill mother with 5 boys; a
physically challenged grandma and her 4 grand kids; a 30+ year old
bedridden women that is not only coping with her painful illness but
recovering from finding her 13 year old daughter who was kidnapped,
drugged, and came back pregnant; a young women in a wheelchair,
supporting 2 children who creates pinatas for money. We were blessed
to be able to buy 5 of her pinatas for our Thursday evening picnic for
the Caring Hearts Staff & volunteers cookout. We were also able to fill
them with candy to share with the kids from the area attending the
Soup Kitchen’s Saturday morning block party, lunch, and games.
Our team built a Corn Hole game for Oasis. We left the building design
for the boys to build more games to sale or play with.
Team members worked daily on the 1 st , 2nd roof projects and/or went on
the various outreach ministry projects. On Wednesday, we went to the
Park at 1:30 to hand out sandwiches and drinks to the homeless and
transients seeking a place to rest. Alberto blessed many with his
short sermons, and words of encouragement.

The team attended the Wednesday 6:30 pm service. Pastor Francisco
mixes his English and his Spanish so all can enjoy his amazing
message. The congregations always walks around to greet us with
open arms, many hugs, and wonderful smiles. We may not always
know everything they are saying but we definitely feel God’s presence
when we are in the church.

Thursday’s picnic is usually one of our favorite activities. We cook for
the boys, the staff and their families. We play games, sing, cook
marshmallows and hot dogs over the fire. The corn hole game was very
popular Thursday night. Two of our College girls did a great job
painting a Sunset, desert scene on the game. One of our girls brought
4 hammocks, the kids spent a lot of time playing and giggling on them.
After the Oasis Boy’s ceiling was painted and the two roof projects
were finished, we were able to do various Outreach Projects on Friday.
We took sandwiches, treats, burritos, drinks, and donation in tote bags
to the Dump site to hand out after Alberto's message and a few
songs. After leaving the Dump, we all went to the Blind Center to
worship, sing & praise, and buy handmade items. Friday afternoon
was busy visiting more shut-ins. We took all the boys, Luis (our work
project manager), Fran (boy’s house mother), Angelica (finance
coordinator), and Pena (house assistant) to a local restaurant. All 34
of us laughed, ate way too much, and wished the night could go on
forever. The boys and 5 of our college kids went to youth group at the
church after our meal.

Saturday morning, we packed early so we could go to the 9-11 am Soup
Kitchen Block Party. Our group provided face painting, fishing for
ducks, bouncing balls, bowling, hoops, balloons, and many suitcases
full of clothing, shoes, socks, hats, and purses for the kids and families
to take home.

Saying good-bye to Oasis is never easy. Tears are shed, life-changing
memories are never forgotten, life-long friendships bless us as we
solemnly drive to Phoenix and fly back to the freezing temperatures in
Pittsburgh. Our hearts warm up as we go through our phones, looking
at the Oasis boys, the children we grew to love and the passionate
adults that take care of them and each other. Thank you Caring
Hearts Ministry for everything you are doing!!!

Love,

Donna Overdorff
Grace UMC Team
Indiana, PA

Hope and Resilience- Caring Hearts Mission

6/17/2019

17 June 2019 by Natalie Hennessy.
Natalie coordinates mission trips, volunteers, sponsorships and fundraisers for Caring Hearts Ministry.
Photos by Allison Mayer Photography.

Natalie and Omar, one of the boys at Oasis Boys home.

Today I was editing our website, I was writing our mission statement and without any warning, my throat got tight and I starting thinking of the families we serve

The mission of Caring Hearts Ministry is to be passionately committed to delivering hope and empowering the community of San Luis, Mexico towards real change through feeding the hungry, educating the forgotten, providing shelter and comfort to the abandoned and orphaned, rehabilitation for the addicted, care for the sick and disabled with a demonstration of love to the poor and hurting.

I think the reason I got so choked up is because as I typed it, faces flashed into my memory. Faces of the Oasis boys on days when they are hurting and struggling to do whats right after years of neglect, abuse, and learning to steal and commit crime on the streets to survive. I thought of the trauma that I see them dealing with which is something beyond their control. They are battling years being taught to fight to survive, not to trust, to fend for themselves and re-learning a whole new mindset of biblical teachings, that they are loved, that they are safe, that they are to put others before themselves. They are kids, they are supposed to be care free and innocent.

This is Claudia who is one of the 36 families in our shut in program, whose mission is to be an aid to those with terminal illnesses and chronic disabillities

I thought of the Faces of our shut-in families. Of Claudia, who is in constant pain and has a laundry list of sickness. Who the doctors are too scared to operate on because her heart can’t handle it. Who cried as she told me she doesn’t want to live anymore. Her sister, her only family to take care of her kids if she died was murdered along with her nephews when someone stole their car and left them all dead. I hurt for Claudia.

I thought of my friend Sonya at the dump. Sonya wakes up every morning in her house made of garbage and works for 12 or more hours a day in the scorching hot sun. When I shake her hand, it has a quarter inch thick of dirt packed on it. Sonya works hard at her job but lives in shame of being incapable to take care of her physical needs of medical care and hygiene. I hurt for Sonya.

I thought of Omar. Omar gets bullied at school. He has trouble making eye contact with people when he talks. His parents abandoned him and his brothers. They were tossed around between orphanages, begged on the streets, and every year on his birthday, Christmas, graduations, etc he stands without a blood parent to claim him. He likes to be alone and it takes him a long time to trust. When I tell him I love him, I can see that he doesn’t know what to do with that. He is still learning what Christ-centered love is. I hurt for Omar.

But here is the thing, in the midst of all this pain, all this hurt, all this neglect, I find two things to be common and present in each situation. Hope and resilience.

In each of these situations that seem so dark and so horrible, I get to see something so incredible.
The Oasis Boys: They come into Oasis scared, scarred, angry, hungry, smelly, untrusting, testing their limits. Years later, we have examples of people like Luis Valenzuela and Fernando Pena. They grew up at Oasis. Now they are college educated, and working for Caring Hearts, being examples and leaders for the younger guys. They are resilient. They radiate hope.

Claudia and the shut-in families: They could not afford food, medical care, electricity, water. I have seen families whose drinking water is warm buckets on the ground, whose homes have dirt floors, broken roofs, and no lights or air conditioning in 100-degree weather. But then I see these families thriving after Ines, our leader, adopts them into the shut-in program and they are able to eat, have shelter, pray with Ines, be visited by teams ready to encourage and fix their homes, and so much more. I see their faces light up when they know Caring Hearts is coming. They tell us that they know God hears their prayers. They are resilient. They don’t let sickness and poverty stop them from being amazing mothers, fathers, sisters, families. They join together and push forward.

I see children in the dump and in the villages playing and running without shoes, smiling, enjoying their life. They don’t need fancy Nike cleats and a fully inflated ball to have fun. They play pick up soccer in the streets with a ball made of tape and they run for hours, smiling and finding community. They shine hope.

I see strength in Sonya and in the workers at the garbage dump. They search through what others threw away and they find treasures. They keep San Luis running by sorting the recyclables. They know the work is dirty, but they know that they are strong and they are important. They welcome prayers, they are thankful for the bag of beans that Caring Hearts volunteers give. They teach us about perseverance and contentment. That is hope.
We see this in the bible too. In Philippians 4:12 it says “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
As an ambassador for Caring Hearts Ministry, I get to be the connection and the bridge for those in need in Mexico, and those who are blessed in the states. I get to bring hundreds of people each year to Mexico to leave their comfortable lives and enter into the challenges of poverty. I get to see how we are all equal. How those in Mexico shine their best selves as they depend on God and His strength to get through the toughest times. I get to see Americans who are insecure, selfish, searching, discontent, bitter and unsure of their purpose let go of all dignity, pride, popularity, and status and humbly work hard to join with their brothers and sisters in a country that needs a hand up. I see them become confident in their skills, loving and self-sacrificing, content, playful, and full of joy as they wake up every day and help someone else.

It is like magic to me. Caring Hearts has taught me not to be afraid of pain, of hard times, of being in need or getting sick. It has taught me that when I or anyone in Mexico am in need, God will send someone with a caring and compassionate heart like His to stand by me and give me the help I need. And it has taught me that I have enough and I am enough to be that for someone else. We are all equally in need and equally able to offer someone something else. Hope and resilience cannot be taken from us, and cannot be drowned out by pain and by challenges of life.

If you need a dose of hope, a dose of resilience, I encourage you to get uncomfortable and dive into a situation where you can see a need and help meet it. I invite you to be a part of the Caring Hearts Ministry as a volunteer. I invite you to meet the real people I mentioned above and let them be your heroes.

To learn more about trips with Caring Hearts, email Natalie at missions@caringheartsmexico.org

Create A Better Future Through Education.

4/17/2019

Meet Pena.

This is Fernando Muñoz Peña. A former Oasis boy who was recently awarded a trip to study abroad in Canada from his college in San Luis. This was a huge honor and a testimony to how growing up in a loving, Christ-centered environment can change the course of one man's future. Pena was chosen out of many competitors to receive this honor and go study abroad.

When Peña was younger, he would skip school to sell candy on the streets of San Luis to make money for his brothers and his mother. He missed out on early education as well as the safety and security children need when they are young.

Pena came to Oasis as a young child, grew up and graduated from the Oasis boys home. When he left Oasis he went on to a local college in San Luis where he would come back home to Oasis to visit and help with Caring Hearts, we also had sponsors that helped support him throughout his college career.

To learn more about our education program and how you can become a part of someones story, visit our website here.

Arms Around Amy | Join us in Helping Amy

3/4/2019

Meet Amy. She was born with a rare condition known as Tetraphocomelia; without arms or legs. After being abandoned at the hospital by her birth parents, she was adopted by faith-filled parents, Richard and Janet. Growing up, they taught her the importance of being independent and they’ve been on a lifelong journey in helping her to achieve that independence in every area possible.
Along with being able to do most daily tasks on her own, Amy is also an author, artist and motivational speaker.
One of the areas she would love to be independent is being able to drive. Recently their 18 year old current van has been needing many repairs as well as the 25 year old lift that gets her wheelchair in and out of the van. In their 80’s and now retired, her parents are finding it harder each day to be able to transport Amy to her speaking engagements, errands and other adventures. Having a new reliable van with specific modifications for driving would ensure that she would be able to maintain her independence once her parents are no longer able to be there for her.

Caring Hearts would love for you to join with us in helping Amy and her parents to broaden her independence. Every donation you make will be tax deductible.

Breakin’ Down The Numbers:
Cost of…
New Van - $37,500
Conversion & Equipment - $38,000
Driving Evaluation - $550
Driving Training - $15,000
Driving Modifications - $80,000+
Total - $171,252
Thanks to some generous donors who have sent in checks, we currently have (as of December 18, 2018) $21,325 in addition to our campaign!
NEW TOTAL - $149, 927

For every donor pledging:
$150+ - One matted Artist Print of your choosing, drawn by Amy.
(choices listed on Amy's Website )
$350+ - A signed pair of Amy’s autobiographies (Unseen Arms & Unseen Arms Reaching Out).
$500+ - A dozen of cookies baked by Amy.
$1,000+ - Travel pouch sewn by Amy.
$5,000+ - Dinner with Amy.
$10,000+ - Amy will take you for a ride in her new modified van (contingent on whether the goal is met).
Largest Donor - Amy will take you on her first official ride in her new modified van (contingent on whether the goal is met).
If you have pledged a donation on any of these levels and would like to receive your gift , please email Amy at amysunseenarms@gmail.com

Why I Sponsor with CHM: The Oasis Boys Home

2/18/2019

Olivia sponsors two boys from our Oasis program, Angel and Pedro. This is her story of how that came to be.

"This past December I spent a week in San Luis with Caring Hearts Ministry, it was on my trip that my
heart was opened to all of the people I met in ways I never knew were possible. I have an older sister
who had been on several mission trips in the past and have always heard amazing things about the
incredible impact Caring Hearts has had on her. Getting to experience San Luis for myself was honestly life changing, I was able to see God working in a way that I could never imagine. Serving throughout San Luis and spending time with the boys at the Oasis home was incredibly eye-opening, I got to see first-hand the impact that something as simple as donated clothing and/or the idea of having sponsors meant to everyone there. When I was there, I spent a significant amount of time hanging out with the boys, but it was really Angel and Pedro who touched my heart. I really wanted to be able to continue to support and talk to these boys and I felt God had placed it on my heart to sponsor them. Being able to see first-hand how impacted the boys were by the sweet notes and occasional gifts they received allowed me to see how much the little things meant to these boys, that my small donation did not amount to the large impact it had on the individual boys. Being able to sponsor these boys is just a small way I am able to spread love and I know that the small love that I share has a much larger impact than imaginable"

- Olivia Enzor, 2018 December Trip Volunteer

2019 Music City Masquerade

1/21/2019

When you attend the Music City Masquerade, you'll join other supporters in benefiting the lifesaving mission of Caring Hearts Ministry.

WHAT:
The Music city Masquerade is a Nashville gathering that allows individuals to come together for one cause, to raise money and bring awareness to the non-profit called Caring Hearts Ministry. The goal each year is to challenge individuals to give back and get involved in non-profits such as Caring Hearts. Last year's event of nearly 300 that attended saw live music by our celebrity DJ, Brandi Cyrus, participated in a silent auction and mixed and mingled throughout the night.

WHEN:
On February 09, 2019 @ 8 pm at Track One (1201 4th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37210) — the public is invited to meet and mingle with celebrity host Marley Sherwood and other special guest such as The Bachelors Christen Whitney, Current Steelers Quarterback, Josh Dobbs and country music artist such as Jaden Michaels, Tyler Rich, Jackie Lee and many more. They will have a chance to learn about the mission of Caring Hearts Ministry.

Donations and Bidding can take place at the event or by going to :(https://www.caringheartsmexico.org/masquerade.html)
#musiccitymasquerade.

Hosted by and special guest who are participating include:

HOSTED BY CMT'S MARLEY SHERWOOD, DJ BRANDI CYRUS, AND SPECIAL GUESTS CRAIG CAMPBELL, JACKIE LEE, TYLER RICH, JADEN MICHAELS, LEAH TURNER, JOSH DOBBS, BAILEY BRYAN, CHRISTEN WHITNEY, AND MORE

ABOUT THE CHARITY:
Caring Hearts Ministry is an interdenominational non-profit whose mission is to be a blessing to the people in the extremely poor border town of San Luis Rio Colorado in Sonora, Mexico. Currently, this is being accomplished through short terms missions trips and a permanent local Church. This local church partner with our other ministries such as Oasis Boys' Home, Medical Outreaches, A Soup Kitchen, Drug Rehab Center, and Blind Center. With hundreds of short-term missionaries visiting these sites every year, Caring Hearts is focused on our mission as presented in Matthew 25.

We hope you will join this year at 2019 Music City Masquerade. Tickets can be purchased by visiting our website, here.

WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS!

12/17/2018

This month we had a group of trip volunteers who decided to give up a week of their time to spend it in San Luis, Mexico. They have helped create stockings for over 300 children, they are building a playground so the kids have a safe place to play, helping the members of our blind center make candles and SO MUCH MORE!

One of our volunteers that lives in Nashville, TN took her first visit down there, her name is Jillan Spencer. Here in Nashville, she is always staying busy with Caring Hearts and going above and beyond to help us whether its writing thank you cards, managing event tables or on the phone for hours trying to get contacts to donate, she does it all!

Jillian tells us a little about why she loves mission work and working with Caring Hearts specifically,

"I've always had a passion for missions specifically with kids and Mathew 25:35 is a verse that I've always used as a guideline on how I should I've my life. After my brother who was not strong in his faith went on a mission trip with Caring Hearts and came back on fire for God I knew there was something special here. I talked to my high school Bible teacher, who went on the trip with him, I learned just how special Caring Hearts was and I knew this was an organization I could be passionate about. This organization not only changes the lives of the people being helped in Mexico but everyone involved and that is something I am so excited to be a part of!"

We are so grateful for you Jillan and for all of our trip volunteers that took the time out of their busy schedules (especially this time of year) to give back to all the people in San Luis, Mexico. You guys are the heartbeat of what we do and we love having you be a part of the Caring Hearts family.

INTERESTED IN TAKING A TRIP WITH US?

Hope Into Action

11/20/2018

A short part of my story.

There was a point in my life, after coming home from a mission trip and landing a part-time job with a wonderful non-profit where I just felt like (excuse my honesty here) “What is the point?"

What is the point of traveling to another country to help others?

What is the point in stressing over getting a fundraising campaign started just to raise a little bit of money, towards a HUGE amount of money?

What is the point of doing anything when there are SO SO many people in this world that need help, that are living in poverty, who don’t have medical care, who don’t have food, who don’t have education, the list goes on… just, god what am I doing that is actually helping?

And then he told me. Turn hope into an action word. Normally we relate hope to being something described as a desire for something to happen, an expectation we wait for day by day… But when we turn hope into action, you aren’t waiting anymore you’re doing.

You are no longer hoping those children are getting fed.

You are no longer hoping that those families have medical attention.

You are no longer hoping for clean water to be in villages.

Every little action I do in my daily life will ultimately impact someone, somewhere. I was reminded that what I do, does matter. I don’t get to see this every day. But whenever I start getting the “what’s the point” blues, it helps me to remember the tiny little phrase “Hope Into Action” and if you are anything like me, I encourage you to write this down somewhere.

This holiday season doesn't forget that you have the power to bring hope and a future into someone's life, whether its a boy who was abandoned and now lives in Oasis or whether its the man on the side of the road begging for your change.

Here is my challenge to you: Turn Hope Into Action. Give. Give your time. Give your love. Give what you can but start today and do it generously.

Written By Anonymous.

How Caring Hearts is Addressing the needs in San Luis, Mexico. A letter from our trip volunteer, Andre Harris.

10/15/2018

Thank You!!

Thanks for all of the prayers and support for the mission trip to San Luis, Mexico. It was a great experience for me and for Rachel. It was great to work in partnership with Caring Hearts Ministry Caring Hearts is addressing true needs in the San Luis area.
Highlights of the trip included (shortened by editor):

Ministering at the Shut-Ins. These were people who are sponsored by Caring Hearts Ministry but they have no ability to leave their homes due to illness or other situations. We heard their stories and we were able to pray with and for each one of them. It was a humbling experience.
We also divided up on one day for a couple of hours and visited a men’s rehab center and a women’s rehab center. It was good to minister and share with them.
Our manual labor on this trip was to prime and paint. Caring Hearts is building a house for Isabelle (the cook I mentioned). She has been cooking for Caring Hearts for 15 years and they offered to her that if she can find land, they would build her a house. The foundation and exterior walls are in. We went out Monday to prime and then on Tuesday to paint. It’s amazing how fast paint and primer dries in the desert sun at > 110 degrees. One amazing thing about Isabelle is that once she gets in this house, she wants to open it up to the people in the area that need a meal. What a giving heart.
Visiting the dump. Caring Hearts has a daily ministry out at the dump where they supply water and ice to the families that work and live at the dump. This is the city garbage dump and the people there sort through the garbage once it’s dumped to find recyclable items or things that they can keep. A person working at the dump makes about $6-7/day. While visiting we had a chance to share with them as well as give them bags of beans as well as lots of different clothing items that the team brought to share.
We got the chance to visit the Blind Center. The Blind Center was and is a supported effort of Caring Hearts. It was explained that years ago, they had a board and a couple of buckets that they used to make a bench and gather under a tree. Today they have a really nice multi-room center that they can meet at, do crafts, share meals, etc... Another example of where Caring Hearts saw a need and took action.
Thursday we were at the soup kitchen. When in full swing in the summer, the soup kitchen will feed >200 kids/day. It wasn’t in full swing yet but we brought a bunch of sandwiches and snacks to share with the kids and area families that we could round up. I think we got about 50 kids or so and we proceeded to play games, do a magic show and get a bite to eat.

All in all, it was a great week. It was hard to say goodbye to the boys. Our theme verse for the trip was Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” He was definitely with us and it’s great to see the things that He’s doing through Caring Hearts.
We did have a God moment while at the Blind Center. One of the men there who was blind wanted to say a few words. He thanked us for coming and sharing with them. He said that he had a verse that he thought was appropriate and he wanted to share... He proceeded to share Joshua 1:9 which is the verse of our trip. I got goose bumps and we also explained to him that Joshua 1:9 is the theme verse for our team.
Thanks again for your support and prayers.

André and Rachel Harris

P.S. If you are looking for a ministry to support or looking for someone to partner with for a short-term mission trip, check out https://www.caringheartsmexico.org/.

Caring Hearts owes just as much of a thank you to Andre and Rachel as they gave to us. Without trip volunteers, our ministry wouldn’t be the same. Every individual in San Luis is truly touched by the people who come to spend time with them. We have so much gratitude and love for Andre, Rachel and every trip volunteer that comes and supports CHM.